A stunt between film set and lecture hall
A lot has happened since she graduated in 2017, but the memories are still very vivid: the beautiful Am Neuen Palais campus, the training sessions at the airship port. And, above all, the intensive sports test she had to pass in order to study there. “It was damn hard,” Mouroum laughs, “but somehow I managed in the end.” While for many, studying is the beginning of career planning, Mouroum was already in the middle of it: At the age of 15, she had won the world championship title in the Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat, and in 2007 she entered the world of film as an extra on the set of the movie “Ninja Assassin”. Many projects followed, such as being Halle Berry’s stunt double in “Cloud Atlas” and acting in the film “Black Panther”, which finally brought her a breakthrough. Mouroum herself has a great role model in Queen Latifah, and the two are also closely connected through their work on the series “The Equalizer”.
No time for everyday life
“Fitting” a degree into this budding career was primarily a sensible decision that her mother had advised her to make. And she has not regretted it to this day – even though it meant turning down some major projects. It was a balancing act, because both her active career and the successful completion of her studies were important to her. “I often found myself rushing back and forth between lectures and the airport. It was very exhausting.” Nevertheless, she benefits from everything she learned in Potsdam, even if she is not actively working in her former field of studies. Her studies helped her to structure her life: how to organize herself, how to approach things – and that many things simply take time to turn out really well. For example, scientific work backed by real quality. “That taught me something for life! I also had a lot of injuries as a stuntwoman and know my body better thanks to my studies – I have a better understanding of muscles, bones, and tendons,” explains Mouroum, who is the only one in her class to work as a stunt performer. In this position, it is also about actively taking on a role and being able to perform it well. She also trains the actress intensively for the scene in question and takes on an advisory role on set. The path from stuntwoman to actress does not necessarily happen – but Marie Mouroum took this path in 2024 and proved her talent in her first leading role in the German Netflix action film “60 Minutes”.
There is no such thing as a daily routine in Marie Mouroum’s life: each project dictates a new rhythm for her. She spent five years filming and living in New York, then flew straight to Cologne to take part in the 2025 season of “Let’s Dance” and is now “newly” arriving back in her old home. Where she will end up is still open. But behind all her projects there is always a determination that is not guided by chance. Mouroum has a vision for her life and yet always remains open to new things and the diversity they offer. “Before ‘Let’s Dance’, I didn’t know I could dance,” she laughs, emphasizing how much she enjoyed her time on set and working with the other contestants. So where will she go from here? “I feel very much at home. I’ve made big and small films, covering the whole spectrum. Today, I only do things that I enjoy. Whether it’s a success or not isn’t the primary concern. The greatest joy is rediscovering yourself. That’s what makes life so exciting for me.”
Marie Mouroum studied sports therapy and prevention at the University of Potsdam. Today, she works as a stuntwoman and actress.
This text was published in the university magazine Portal - Zwei 2025 „Demokratie“. (in German)
Here You can find all articles in English at a glance: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/explore-the-up/up-to-date/university-magazine/portal-two-2025-democracy